Brown is back in the saddle

GORDON Brown attempted to put his Henley by-election woes behind him during a trip to Manchester. The prime minister, marking a year since he took the top job, met members of Britain's cycling team, chatted with bobbies in Sale and met students from Sale Moor's Lime Tree Primary School and Manchester College of Arts and Technology in Openshaw.

GORDON Brown attempted to put his Henley by-election woes behind him during a trip to Manchester.

The prime minister, marking a year since he took the top job, met members of Britain's cycling team, chatted with bobbies in Sale and met students from Sale Moor's Lime Tree Primary School and Manchester College of Arts and Technology in Openshaw.

His visit came as Labour attempted to get back on the front foot by promising major changes to the country's public services.

Mr Brown said he wanted a *third phase' of reforms, including giving more decision-making powers in the hands to teachers and doctors, and listening more to the needs of service users.

Hijacked

The prime minister started his day in Sale, where a visit to a neighbourhood police team was hijacked by a group of 40 children from Lime Tree.

The pupils' teacher, Simon Beswick, took them out of school to catch a glimpse of Mr Brown – who came straight over for a chat.

Mr Brown asked them what lessons they were doing that day and what football team they supported.

He laughed when some of them told him they supported Chelsea and Barcelona even though Manchester United is just a few miles away.

He told them he supported Scottish team : “I support a team called Raith Rovers.

Humour

Mr Beswick said: “It's nice to see the humorous side. We don't see that normally.”

At MANCAT, Mr Brown watched a group of students learning the art of plastering before looking in on a painting class. He even agreed to put his signature on 19-year-old Toni McGurk's work.

Principal Peter Tavernor said: “There has been a real buzz of excitement about the place today and everyone has been genuinely pleased to see Mr Brown here in east Manchester.

“This will be a day that many of our students will remember for a very long time.”

Mr Brown then met a group of community activists and public-sector professionals, praising them and the city.

He said: “What Manchester does today, the rest of the world does tomorrow.”

He then moved on to the Velodrome, where he met cycling stars including world champion Victoria Pendleton and Olympic gold medallist Jason Queally.

By-election

Mr Brown was appearing just hours after it emerged Labour had finished fifth in the Henley by-election, with just 1,066 votes – fewer than the BNP.

The prime minister said: “By-elections come and by-elections go.

“Of course we have to listen to what people say, but my main job is to improve our public services, to get the economy moving forward, to make sure that in the health service and education people have the best services that they want and I am going to continue to do that.

“I think people know that we are going through difficult times in the economy. It's my job to steer us through these difficult times.”